FIA confirm that without any “new evidence” in crash between Mercedes
team-mates at Spa the matter would be laid to rest

Nico Rosberg will face no further sanction from Formula One’s stewards over his crash with Lewis Hamilton in the Belgian Grand Prix, it was confirmed last night.

Both Toto Wolf, the Mercedes team boss, and Rosberg denied Hamilton’s accusation that the German had “deliberately” caused the collision to “prove a point”. On the day of the race, it was deemed a “racing incident” by the FIA, motorsport’s governing body.

Sources at the FIA had originally told Telegraph Sport there would only be an investigation if Rosberg admitted causing the accident intentionally, or if Mercedes lodged a complaint; both highly unlikely.

Late last night a spokesman for the FIA confirmed that without any “new evidence” the matter would be laid to rest.

“The FIA will not intervene in this issue,” the spokesman said. “Only a ‘new element’ that would have appeared after the results became final could justify us opening an investigation. A comment alleged to have been made in an internal briefing and later denied by the team itself does not constitute such a ‘new element’.”

The collision meant Rosberg now leads by 29 points in the world championship, leaving an already bitter relationship on the brink of collapse. Hamilton had alleged Rosberg admitted crashing on purpose. “He said he could have avoided it but decided not to.”

Rosberg, in his “difficult” video review of the race, responded to Hamilton’s comments as he and the team sought to defuse a situation which is threatening Mercedes’ stranglehold on the drivers’ championship this year.

“I’ve been told what Lewis said in the press and the way he has stated his version of events,” the German said. “All I can say is that my view of the events is very different. But the thing is it’s just better that now I don’t give all the details of my opinions like that. I prefer to keep it internal.

Jenson Button, a former team-mate of Hamilton, backed the criticism of Rosberg’s driving and said it was unfair the Briton was not leading the championship.

Button said: "I think any driver would look at now, and I am sure Nico would look at it and say 'I don't know what was I thinking'.

"I feel for Lewis, he was leading the race. It is unbelievable. I've never seen such bad luck or misjudgement on other people's part for Lewis to lose so many points over a period of race.

"It's astonishing, really. I've never seen that before, especially when you have a car that is so dominant, they should be first and second every race.”

Meanwhile, McLaren finally confirmed what had been inevitable for more than six months, with former team principal Martin Whitmarsh's departure from the team.

Whitmarsh, who spent 24 years at McLaren before being ousted by Ron Dennis in January, has finally agreed what is believed to be a £6 million pay-off.

A McLaren spokesman said: "McLaren and Martin Whitmarsh have agreed amicably to part company."